Family Vacation
by Rose14
Summary: Remember in the second season right before Trey showed up? The Cohens were talking about a family vacation during a family dinner. No Trey in this story he is still in jail. Just a fun little story.
1. Chapter 1

Car. Now.

"Everybody move towards the door! I wanted to be on the road by seven and it's 7:05 AM! You all are messing up my schedule." Sandy Cohen's voice boomed through the house.

Ryan picked up his small backpack and walked toward the door, but couldn't help but drag his feet. This family vacation was already old and it hadn't even started yet. But if Sandy was going to map every five minuets, he figured it could only get worse from here.

"Summer it wasn't my idea to go. Yeah, I know you had plans. Spend some time with Marissa…It's only gonna be three weeks… Calm down," Ryan heard the distinct sounds of Summer yelling. "Did I really tell you two? I meant three… No, sweetie you don't mean that it's a rage blackout. Do your breathing exercises. Uh huh, a fork would be uncomfortable there, but I love you too. See you in four weeks."

Ryan heard more yelling as Seth quickly flipped his cell-phone closed. Ryan raised his eyebrow at him and Seth shrugged.

"We're working out some issues," he explained.

" I said the door not the living room! Are you two deaf? Move it!" Sandy was really yelling now.

"Is that schedule this important to him?" Ryan asked Seth feeling a little nervous.

"You have no idea. Summer vay-cay 1996 I swear he scheduled when I could pee. I had to go so bad, but he made me wait three hours. It was kinda scary. Ok very scary. Don't mess with him or the 'Schedule' or he'll make you wait four hours."

"Are you serious?" Ryan asked. This vacation just got way worse.

Seth nodded. "I completely serious. Go before we leave. Go now. Run dude before he sees you.

"Boys did you hear your father? He said go to the car. Move quickly before he crosses off one of his ten minuet bathroom breaks he has planned. I won't go five hours like last trip." Kirsten breezed by with a pointed look at Seth.

" I overslept! I was like ten; you should have gotten me up. You're the one to blame for that," Seth said indigently.

" Get to the car Seth, and no crap," Kirsten said to him with her no nonsense voice.

"You heard your mother," Sandy boomed again," Car. Now."


	2. Chapter 2

Bathroom Break?

Ryan was settling himself to the most comfortable position possible for the backseat of a Range Rover when the trip went from semi-sucky to horrific. Sandy took out some CD and popped it in and within moments every Cohen was singing. He looked over at Seth and saw the Jew-fro bouncing as he sang particularly off key. He wasn't sure what the song was, but he was sure that this had to end ASAP.

"Um…what's with the music?" He asked trying to sound casual.

Seth had the decency to look embarrassed when he stopped. Kirsten and Sandy on the other, hand looked hurt.

"You don't like it?" Sandy asked sadly.

"Yeah Ryan, this is a Cohen family tradition. Sing like idiots to lame old music while in the car for long periods of time. Its like Chrismukkah, or our need to have itineraries." Seth said cheerfully.

Ryan felt his eye twitch. He didn't sing, and he hadn't wanted to come on this trip in the first place. Him and Marissa had just gotten back together in the spring. He was planning on spending the summer with her. Not in a car. Sure Mount Rushmore sounded fun when Sandy mentioned it months ago, but that was before he heard about the hours in the car, the very small car.

"Um.. yeah sure I like it..but I don't know the words…" Ryan began, "and I'm not a Cohen."

Every Cohen face dropped at that.

Kirsten looked particularly upset and said, " Well Ryan you live in our house, and we love you that Cohen enough for me."

Ryan felt himself blush and muttered, "I love you too."

Seth smiled and said, " Good then its decided turn it up Dad, my pipes are ready for some singing. Ryan you can join in when you know the words."

And at that the Cohen's re-started the horrific noise making.

"Um..isn't it time for a bathroom break?" Ryan asked.

Author Note: Thanks for the Reviews! Later chapters will be longer, and this story does have a purpose. There will be a small plot where Ryan needs some Coheny love to help him through his issues. Nothing overly dramatic, this is basically just a cute little summer story.


	3. Chapter 3

Summer Will Kill Me

After three hours of the singing torture both Kirsten and Seth passed out in the backseat after Ryan had moved to the front during a bathroom break. Now only Sandy was humming along and the volume was way lower. Ryan was pleased he could hear himself think again.

"So Ryan," Sandy began, " about what you said before. Do you really not consider yourself a Cohen."

Ryan felt himself panic. Complicated question.

"Um well what I met was I didn't know about the singing thing. Because, you know, I wasn't there before. I was with my mom, and we don't sing," Ryan said as casually as he could.

He saw Sandy's eyes narrow at the mentioning of his mom.

"That's fine. This vacation was meant for us to learn more about each other. I for one want to learn all about you and your past." Sandy smiled at Ryan.

"Yeah me too." Seth mumbled through a snore from the back seat.

" All about my past? That might take longer than four weeks." Ryan said nervously.

"That's fine both me a Kirsten took all summer off. The vacation just got lengthened. This just became a six week trip." Sandy said cheerfully.

"That's good," said Kirsten through a yawn, " I wanted to be able to go to New York City anyways."

"Um yeah sounds good," said Ryan cautiously.

What was there to know about his past? It wasn't something people really wanted to hear. Mom get knew boyfriend, Ryan get beat up. He couldn't tell them that. They knew that basically. He could tell them more about the Snoopy thing…. Or about Theresa, but that might bring up some of the last summer issues.

"Six weeks," he heard Seth mutter, "Summer will kill me."

Ryan nodded in agreement.

"Marissa isn't going to be happy either. She wanted us to spend August together."

"And you will," said Sandy, " just the second half of it."

" I'm sure that will help Dad. Ryan will tell her he's sorry he can't spend vacation with her, but he has to go to New York City. Don't think that will help ease the blow. New York has a lot of hot chicks, I can feel Summer kicking my ass as we speak," said Seth forlornly.

"You shouldn't have told her it was only two weeks."

"Shut up Ryan, we were eating, she had the fork in her hand. It was best not to risk the rage blackout when she could reach me. I hope she doesn't get to mad when I tell about the prolongment of the torture trip."

"Hmm, that much time apart she might go back to Zack. He was her summer fling last year," said Ryan slyly.

"OH MY GOD! We have to go back! Turn around dad, my girl's gonna leave me." Seth shouted.

Sandy glared at Ryan. Kirsten sighed.

"You had to get him going didn't you?" she asked, "Now will never hear the end of this."

Ryan couldn't help but snicker. Now they wouldn't ask him so many questions. Seth chatter had its advantages.

Author Note: OK this one is a little longer. Not as long as the chapters will get, but next one they will reach their first destination. I just have to pick what it is. Lol. Thank for the Reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

**Death Valley**

"Death Valley? Our first stop is Death Valley? Who in the world thought of that? It's like 120 degrees out there. This is not a vacation, this is torture," Seth said looking around with a disdainful expression on his face.

"For your information Seth, it is a very pretty area," said Kirsten.

Ryan looked out the window and saw sand, lots of sand. It wasn't beach sand either it was desert sand, white with million of rocks.

"Yeah pretty, I'm totally seeing pretty. Is the pretty part that rattlesnake over there, or the miles of nothingness?" Seth said sarcastically.

"Oh My God rattlesnakes! Sandy, you did not mention rattlesnakes!" shrieked Kirsten.

Ryan saw Seth smirk evilly.

"Yeah Mom, rattlesnakes, lizards, and god knows what else. Don't you think we should leave?"

"Seth! Do not scare your mother," Sandy said shooting Seth a look, "Now sweetie, you can stay in the car while me and the boys look around real quick."

Kirsten visibly relaxed at that.

"Come on boys let's go for a walk," Sandy said cheerfully.

Ryan opened his door and hopped out. He was met face to face with a sign that said, "Do not leave road. Dessert goes on for miles, no path."

"Um Sandy," he began, "maybe we should just leave."

"Nonsense Ryan, this is gonna be fun, grab a bottle of water and lets go."

Ryan sighed. This was going to end badly.

Two hours later they were still "having a quick look around."

Seth had finished all his water and was now looking at Ryan's hungrily. Sandy was starting to look nervous, and Ryan got the impression that he thought they were lost.

"Dad, how much longer do I have to endure this? Can we just go back? Please?" Seth whined, his eyes never leaving Ryan's still half full bottle of water.

"Um..sure Seth um..were on our way back now," Sandy replied while biting on his lip.

Seth looked up hearing the nervousness in Sandy's voice.

" What's with all the 'ums' were not lost are we?" Seth asked his eyes narrowing.

"Of course not I know exactly where we are."

"Uh huh then why are we going in circles?"

"We're not."

"We so are."

Ryan rolled his eyes. Their bickering could last for hours. He was going to the car.

He turned around and went toward a small hill a couple feet away.

Sandy noticing his departure called to him, "Ryan, we should stay together. That's what your supposed to do when your…"

"Lost! I knew it!" Seth shouted in triumph.

Ryan continued walking and made his way over the hill. About twenty yards away stood the car. He could see Kirsten sitting in the front seat, singing along to whatever song she had on the radio.

"Wait up Ryan!" He felt Sandy and Seth come up behind him.

Sandy, seeing the car coughed nervously.

"Don't worry about it Dad. You and me are Jewish. Jews love to wander around desserts. It's our thing. Good thing Ryan came with us." Seth said with a smile.

He then grabbed Ryan's water and started gulping as he skipped toward the car.

"That looks minty," Ryan called. He had wanted that water.

Seth gave him the finger over his shoulder and continued skipping. Kirsten seeing his approach stopped her singing and smiled.

Sandy sighed while he and Ryan walked toward the car.

"Maybe Death Valley wasn't the best idea," he said.

Ryan shrugged.

"Oh well, the next stop will be better," Sandy said cheerfully.

Ryan really doubted it, but he nodded anyways.

He saw Seth get in the front seat and glared. He hated the backseat.

Sandy moved toward the driver seat and Kirsten hopped in the back again. Ryan made his way around the car and got in the back.

"I was starting to get worried," Kirsten said looking at Sandy.

"Yeah you looked worried Mom, with all that jamming, Bob Segar? You're an embarrassment."

Kirsten hit Seth on the back of the head and he whimpered.

"Why did we stop here anyways? There are nature parks and Ghost Towns ahead, along with tour guides," Ryan asked while looking at a pamphlet he found under the seat.

"So that's where that went! I knew there was more than this around here," Sandy snatched the pamphlet from his hand.

"A ghost town sounds interesting, let's go," Kirsten ordered.

Sandy started the car , and it began to move forward.

"Other way." Ryan said rolling his eyes.

Sandy chuckled and turned around.

"Oops," he said with a shrug.

Author Note: OMG! I took forever! Well I have a small excuse; I was away for a week without a computer. Also I've been in Drivers Training, I am the worst driver… So here it is. Let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**Um…Car Please?**

The ghost town had been torture. There were no other words for it. Kirsten and Sandy had gone picture crazy, and not in a fun way. Seth and Ryan getting out of the car, Seth and Ryan walking, Seth and Ryan at building one, Seth and Ryan at building two, Ryan escaping toward bathroom, Seth trying to steal camera…. The list went on.

When Kirsten had finally found the camera in the back of the car (where Ryan had hidden it remembering other Cohen photo ops.) she had went crazier than expected. He even thought she might have gotten a picture of him sneezing.

Now they were on the road again. A tolerable experience at best, luckily the singing was over again, and Sandy was currently looking for their first hotel stop.

"Dad, did you look down that street?"

"Yes."

"You did not, Dad."

"I did too, Seth."

Ryan felt his eyes rolling. Kirsten snorted while trying to hide her laughter. They had made a pact earlier to do what was ever possible to make sure Seth and Sandy were not in the front seat together again. Between the music choices and the air conditioning control it was just not worth it. At some point it had to have been 85 degrees in the car while listening to Death Cab for three hours.

It really was one guitar and a whole lot of whining.

"We haven't been down there Sandy." Ryan decided to inform the two in the front.

Seth gave his dad a triumphant smile while Sandy made a u-turn muttering under his breath.

While they were driving down the street, Ryan noticed something. They were not in the good part of town. The rundown and boarded up houses were enough of a reminder of Chino for him to realize this. It didn't particularly bother him, but he didn't think Kirsten or Seth would be pleased with the hotel.

He saw the hotel up ahead and tried not to laugh. This was going to be interesting.

"Well are we going to go in or what?" Sandy asked in an annoyed tone.

They'd been sitting in front of ' the run down whore house' as Seth had put it, for ten minuets.

"I'm working up to it, don't rush me," Kirsten snapped, "Why don't you go check us in?"

Sandy nodded and got out of the car. Once he was safely inside Seth turned around.

"We are not seriously staying here are we Mom? God knows what's gone on in that place, I bet there is a drug deal going on at least within 10 ft. of us. Can we stop indulging Dad and leave to find some place civilized?"

"Its not that bad. I've stayed in worse." Ryan said looking at the motel. It really wasn't that horrible.

He felt Seth pitying gaze on him.

"Tijuana, for instance," he said with a pointed look at Seth. This wasn't a pity moment.

"That was different. Desperate were the times, my friend. Besides, Summer was there to distract me."

"Seth, you're going to have to deal for one night, ok? This is the only motel for a couple more towns, and your father refuses to go any farther tonight. Probably one of his lessons of how grateful we should be for what we have. Stay in a crappy hotel; feel for the people with little amounts of money."

"Mom, don't say crappy, its way to young for you."

"I'll have you know that my generation made up crappy, so don't tell me what's to old or young for me to say."

Ryan felt his eye twitching. He never had a twitch till he moved in with Cohen's.

"Hey dude, is your eye..."

"No."

"Well to me it looked like it was…"

"Shut up Seth."

"Were all checked in. Everyone grab a bag and let's move," Sandy said cheerfully opening the door making all three of them jump.

While they were walking in the hallway Ryan realized he's misjudged the place. It wasn't pretty bad: it was down right horrible.

Seth had even asked the front desk if they had an hourly pay system. Turns out they did. Kirsten's face paled at that.

Sandy opened the door to there room at the end of the hallway. Ryan walked in slowly behind everyone and looked at the room. There were two small beds and that was about it. It was worse then Tijuana times ten. Kirsten's face was scrunched up, and she looked close to tears.

"There is only two beds," Seth pointed out.

"I guess you and Ryan will have to share," Sandy replied still speaking cheerfully."

"Hell no."

"Seth watch your language, and it's either this or the car." Sandy said cheerfulness dropped.

"Um…Car please? Give me the keys. Someone should stay with it to make sure its there in the morning anyways."

Sandy sighed and tossed him the keys.

"I'm coming with you," said Kirsten following Seth out the door.

At this point Ryan felt Sandy's gaze on him.

"Well I guess it's just the two of us," Sandy said returning to his cheerful tone.

He had no more then said the words when the sound of a mattress squeaking and someone moaning came loudly from the room next door.

Ryan felt his eyes moving longingly toward the door.

Sandy sighed and picked up the bags.

"Lets go kido, the cars starting to sound good."

Ryan relaxed in relief.

"When I looked this place up on the Internet, they called it a pleasantly unique place to stay."

"Well it was unique," Ryan pointed out.

Author Note: Sorry this chapter took so long! But a day or two after my last update I started having stomach cramps. More like a side pain, I thought it was the monthly visitor, but it turned out to be appendicitis. Not exactly fun in the sun situation. Luckily it didn't burst and the operation is pretty small so I wasn't in the hospital to long, and now I am feeling loads better. So hopefully the next update will be up sooner. Tell me what you think of this one. I know its not the best, but it is a bit longer, and I hope you guys like it.

Thanks so much for the reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

"Um to anyone else is this vacation sucking? I was promised fun and so far I've been stuck in a car, desert, and gangbang up motel. Where is the fun?" Seth whined on there fourth hour of driving. Ryan hated to admit it, but he was right.

"This has been fun! Remember the ghost town? That was fun." Kirsten said energetically but even her voice seemed to dim toward the end.

"In what world is a ghost town fun? I was entertained for about five minuets and then had to fake it to make you and Dad feel cool."

Ryan nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess that was kinda crappy, huh?" Kirsten said sadly.

"Don't say crappy Mom, its weird."

Kirsten rolled her eyes at Seth.

"Sandy, where are we going next? If I'm in the car another minuet with our son, I may kill us all."

Ryan nodded in agreement again.

"Next stop is Ryan's pick." Sandy said smiling at Ryan encouragingly.

"My pick?" he squeaked.

"Hey why does Ryan get to pick? I never got to pick! All I got was that dumb ice cream cone, and I think you guys got it to shut me up. Which was stupid cuz, duh, sugar rush." Seth rambled angrily.

Ryan, Sandy, and Kirsten all shuddered at the memory of the sugar rush. An hour and half of Seth bouncing around the car, how he found away to bounce in a car still amazed Ryan.

"Ryan gets to pick because he has been the most agreeable. There was a contest and you lost Seth, by a long shot." Sandy said with a pointed look.

"If I had known there was a contest, I may have been better. That is so unfair."

"Where do you want to go, Ryan?" Kirsten said pointedly ignoring Seth.

"Um.. Its ok Seth can pick, I don't care." Ryan said uncertainly.

"No, Ryan its all you. I don't want a pity pick." Seth looked out the window in a huff.

"What are we closest too?" he asked looking out the window at desert.

"We are around Santa Fe. Did you ever want to go there?"

"Yeah, I guess, that sounds nice. Lets go there." Ryan said avoiding eye contact.

"Ok, Santa Fe it is." Sandy said excitedly.

But what Sandy didn't know is that was where Ryan had wanted to go all along. There was someone in Santa Fe he wanted to see. And he knew she would want to see him too. He leaned back in his seat with a happy smile on his face. He hadn't seen his mom in forever.

Author's Note:

I know I take forever and a day to update. But look a plot! How awesome is that? Some Ryan angst is ahead, but not an annoying amount. Stick around and see what happens.

PS: A Two thousand-word chapter ahead in the next weak or so, I already have half done. Go me!


	7. Chapter 7

"Santa Fe, whose dumb pick was this?" Seth whined looking at Ryan pointedly.

"Shut up Seth, this place is wonderful and you know it. If the hotel is anything to go by, this is the best place we've been so far," Kirsten said looking out at the pretty bright colored town.

Seth muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "Stupid Ryan pick," but Ryan hoped Seth was more mature than that. Hoped while knowing he wasn't.

"Ummm guys I was wondering if I could go look around by myself for a little while. I did some alone time, to brood or whatever…" Ryan looked at Sandy pleadingly. Ryan wanted to stop and check on his mom, and to be completely honest if he had to spend another moment with Seth he would end up in way worse than juvie.

Seth gave him look of horror, "You're going to abandon me with the 'rents all alone? Are you crazy? Mom has been making itineries sense we pulled into town. Dad has mapped out at least ten lame places to look at. You can't leave me!"

Ryan gave him his standard glare. "You are driving me insane. One more minuet with you, and I will have shut you up. Permanently."

Seth looked overly confused, " I have been nothing but pleasant."

"Pleasantly annoying as hell."

"I resent that."

"To bad its true."

"Ok guys cut it out. Ryan, you can have a few hour alone, and Seth, you can spend some time with your mother and me." Sandy said tiredly.

"That is so unfair, why do I have to be stuck with you and mom, and Ryan gets to go off partying!"

"Thanks Seth, way to make your parents feel loved," Kirsten said sarcastically.

"Ryan will get his alone time later. Now its your turn."

Seth started muttering again, and Ryan hopped out of the car before they could change their minds.

The Land Rover pulled away, and he saw Seth waving frantically at him through the back window. He rolled his eyes and found his way to a bus stop.

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He looked at the beat up apartment building. This was where his mom was? He had hoped that not having to look after him would have made his mom's life easier. But this place looked as dumpy as all the other places they had lived. Almost has bad as that hotel…

He gathered up his courage. He didn't ride on a bus for an hour to chicken out at the front door. He walked up the stair and knocked. Only when the door opened he wasn't faced with his mom….

"Dad?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Ryan? What are you doing here? Social services told me you were in California with a nice foster family."

Ryan felt his heart stop beating. Frank Atwood stood in front of him looking almost as big and intimating as Ryan remembered. This was the man who had wreaked havoc across his childhood and all he could do was stand and stare.

Oh wait nope, now he was running.

"Ryan, come back! Where are you going?"

Ryan heard pounding feet after him and knew his dad was gaining on him. Ryan new he was fast, but his dad was over 6 feet tall and had those stupid tall people long legs. It wasn't long before his dad had grabbed him by the back of his shirt and spun him around.

"Damn it Ryan," his dad gasped breathlessly from the run, "What the hell were you thinking? You just ran through traffic without even looking."

Ryan looked and saw the busy street he had just run across with out realizing it. Then he looked at his dad in shock.

When had his dad ever cared about Ryan or if he almost killed himself?

"Ryan, are you listening to me? Are you ok? What are you doing here?"

"I thought you were mom." Ryan managed to get out softly while still looking at his dad in astonishment.

"Mom? Why would you think I was your mother? And why would you be looking for her? They told me she had left you." His dad said angrily, especially the last part that he growled out. Which was weird because he had left Ryan too. Everyone had if you wanted to get technical.

"I looked up the last name, and mom always liked Santa Fe. I wanted to make sure she was ok…" Ryan trailed off.

"Don't worry about your mother. She can take care of herself. It was taking care of other people that was the problem. I thought you were still in California. What are you doing here? Did that social services lady lie? Is that family hurting you?" His dad suddenly seemed worried and started inspecting Ryan's face.

"I'm fine. I'm on vacation; the Cohen's will be looking for me. I should go." Ryan was suddenly nervous. He had been gone for at least two hours now trying to find the place, and he had the bus ride back. Also, who knew what they Cohen's would be thinking when their calls went to voicemail. They were weird about being able to reach him.

His dad looked down at him, "Those Cohen's treat you good?" He asked gruffly.

"Yeah Dad, their real good to me," the unlike you hung unspoken in the air.

"I was looking into a way to see you without having you leave them, maybe visits or weekends or something. I just wanted to get things sorted out first, and they said you were with a nice family in Newport. I didn't want to wreck a good thing for you." His dad looked at him nervously and apologetically. In a way he was explaining why he hadn't come for Ryan but left him with strangers.

"When did you, I mean how are… I thought you had a fifteen year sentence…"

"I went up for parole last year. They let me out for good behavior; I got my GED and Associates while I was in there. I'm even moving to a nicer place next month. It took awhile to find a job being an ex-con and all, but now that I have one, the money has been pretty good."

His dad was starting to ramble nervously.

" I stopped and saw Trey. He looked ok should be getting out soon too. He told me where you were staying, and I checked it out at social services. I – well he said you were happy."

"I am happy, Dad. But I really have to go. I'll see you around." Ryan turned to leave. He really needed to get out of there. Even though his dad seemed to be sober, and sincerely happy to see him, it still made skittish to be around him, and it had only been for ten minutes so far.

"Wait Ryan", his dad took out a card, "Here's my number. Call me sometime. I have some vacation time coming up. Maybe I can come up and see you. How long are you in town? We could have lunch."

"I don't know Dad, I'm going to miss my bus." Ryan felt anxiety creeping up his back.

"Yeah ok," His dad reached out and pulled Ryan into a bear hug, "I've missed you kido, but here's my chance to fix some past mistakes. I'll see you soon."

Ryan pulled away and gave his dad a nervous smile and walked away. Who was that man and what had he done with the abusive drunk Ryan had once knew?

Oh and he was going to be so screwed if the Cohen's found out about this. "Yeah Sandy I just went to go see my violent and drunken father, but it's ok because I was looking for my alcoholic abandoning mother."

He didn't see that one working out too well.

This vacation sucked.

Author Note:

Hey you guys, I worked really hard on this so tell me what you think. I'll try and update sooner next time. Thanks for all the reviews, I appreciate it!


	9. Chapter 9

"It was horrible. The worst four hours of my life hands down," Seth had an empty look on his face. "It was even worse than the time Summer made me go to that Carrie Underwood concert."

"That was Carrie Underwood? You said those were Lifehouse tickets."

"Lifehouse? That's what I meant, what did I say? Never mind. We are talking about me spending four hours of true hell with the people I'm supposed to call my parents. If they weren't bickering, they were calling each of names like 'snicker doodle' or 'sweetums'. What the hell is a snicker doodle?"

"I think it's a cookie," Ryan said while trying to hold his laughter inside.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you. Between all that they were the most over protective parent you have ever seen. I think they count on us to look out for each other and those four hours were they were solely responsible for keeping me alive seemed to make them nervous. Dad even tried to follow me to the bathroom, but I nipped that one in the bud pretty quick. And lucky for you, they assured me that your turn for torture would be tomorrow afternoon."

"The bathroom?" Ryan felt his face go blank in horror.

"Yeah, and mom picked out my meal and actually made me eat my sandwich before my brownie. It was horrible. I can't believe I actually used to have to deal with them by myself on a regular basis. If I haven't said it before I'll say it now. Thank you dude; I don't know what I would do without you.

By the way what did you do this afternoon? Hit up some hot chicks? Do some wicked E?"

Seth face looked at him eagerly, and Ryan swallowed nervously. Must tread lightly, he knew he sucked at lying, so it was all up to his diversion skills.

"Nothing. Your mom told me Summer called, what did she want?"

Almost before Ryan could finish the question Seth had started his usual babble. The focus once again had been easily side stepped with a Seth distraction. It was moments like these he was truly grateful that Seth could be a crappy friend. Not that Ryan blamed him; Seth had been alone for so long, how could he not talk to anyone who would listen? Bedsides less talking for him equaled a happy Ryan.

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Ryan was feeling nervous. In less than 15 minuets Seth was going to go to a comic book "meeting not convention" and leave Ryan alone with Sandy and Kirsten. Without Seth chatter Ryan had no idea what they were going to talk about. Its not like he hadn't been alone with one or two them at the same time before but he usually tried to avoid it when he had a guilty consciences. Not that he really felt guilty for accidentally seeing his dad. He just didn't want to tell the Cohen's.

"So Ryan are you ready for a fun filled afternoon? Because me and the Kirsten have put a lot of work in to this, and we want you to have fun," Sandy smiled at him encouragingly.

Damnit they used the "we know you're trying to find a way out so will guilt you with our excitement and 'hard work'". He really needed to stop using quotes in his head.

"Can't wait," Ryan forced a painful smile on his face. He hoped it didn't look too much like a grimace.

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Three hours later and Ryan felt like shooting himself. Seth hadn't been exaggerating for the first time ever. Sandy and Kirsten were driving him nuts. They had taken him to a crappy museum that they treated like the Louver and then there was the tour of the city. That one would have actually been fun if Sandy hadn't screwed up the times causing them to have to wait an hour and put Kirsten in a bad mood.

When Kirsten was in a bad mood, everyone was in a bad mood. But now they were at a restaurant and just like Seth said they would the Cohen's preceded to treat him like he was five years old.

Kirsten ordered for him and when he got up to go wash his hands he saw Sandy fighting with himself not to follow. He owed Seth for helping him dodge that bullet. But the worst part hadn't even happen yet.

Because just when he thought his life had hit ten on the ironic and million to one chances scale…

"Ryan!"

Both him and the Cohen's turned and there was his dad.

Walking straight toward their table.

Damnit.


	10. Chapter 10

Kirsten and Sandy both stood up with smiles on their faces. Kirsten's was genuine but Ryan could see the strain and edge in Sandy's who no doubt recognized Frank from his file, which was extremely elusive. Ryan had been trying to get a look at it for two years but Sandy kept it well hidden. Which made Ryan really worried about what could be in there…must focus, Dad approaching.

"Hey Dad," Ryan heard come out in a voice that sounded a lot more nervous than usual.

Kirsten's eyes widened in shock and her smile suddenly became tense.

"Hello son, when I said we should have lunch I meant we should plan something," his dad joked smiling at him with a look in his eyes that Ryan had only seen before when he caught Sandy or Kirsten staring at him. It was kinda creepy seeing it on the face of a man who used to star in the majority or his nightmares.

"Hello Mr. Atwood, I am Sandy Cohen and this is my wife Kirsten. We didn't know you were in the area…"

"Yeah same here, that is until old Ryan here found me while looking for Dawn. I guess the Atwood threw his off," his dad smiled warmly at him.

Both Cohen's looked at him sharply. He knew he was in for a long discussion about that. He had heard it all before, 'We don't want to see you hurt', 'We trust you, but your mom is unstable', and his favorite 'We want you to be able to see her, but we would like to come along to supervise or have someone from social services there'. He was almost seventeen years old; he was too old for supervised visits for god's sake.

"We didn't realize that Ryan had been looking for his mother," Sandy said tightly while continuing to stare at him.

His dad chuckled. "That's Ryan; he was always making sure Dawn was ok. He even used to face off with me when he was five, and I was drunk and mean as hell. Dawn loved him too. She actually managed to show it too when she was clean."

Ryan could see Kirsten looking at him worriedly. She always thought any mention of his mother was going to make him break down in tears. You cry once…

Sandy cleared his throat. "Ryan has been known for his protectiveness."

His dad gave him another smile. "Good to know me and Dawnie's boyfriends didn't manage to beat that out of him. I always knew he would be the one to make it through unscathed."

Ryan thought back to all the scars and broken bones. Maybe he wasn't unmarked but the nightmares were fading, and he was better off than Trey. If that wasn't unscathed, what was?

Sandy's eyes had narrowed. He didn't understand. He just knew the facts and to him Ryan would always be broken. It was nice to know someone, even if it was his dad, could see past that, though he was one of the breakers so that also could be self preservation.

"You are still a quiet one, huh Ryan? I'm telling you he was the quietest baby I ever saw. Dawn and me used to marvel at it. He slept through the night his first day home from the hospital, which was a miracle with four year old Trey who would wake up if someone sneezed and be up all night."

Kirsten gave his dad a small sincere smile. She was happy to get any information about a young Ryan since Ryan could be pretty tight lipped about his childhood.

"Frank would you like to have dinner tonight? We are on vacation but should be in town a little longer, and we were just finishing up here. I'm sure you would like to spend a little time with Ryan…" Kirsten offered despite Sandy's 'hell no' eyes being shot at her.

Ryan saw his dad's face light up.

"That would be perfect, I told Ryan I wanted to get to know him a little better while he was in town. "

"Great, how about we meet you at seven at the restaurant by the Hilton?" Kirsten asked kindly.

After the two finalized the plan, Frank gave Ryan another one of those space invading hugs, and they said farewell.

In the car both Sandy and Kirsten were silent. Ryan prepared himself for a parental attack once they reached the hotel.

They had been gone for a week. This was really shaping into an awesome vacation.

**Author's Note: Ugh, I suck. I promise to update soon for real this time. I am free almost all summer and feeling less writer blockage. Thank for the reviews.**


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